Attention
by Cerise Tears
Summary: Midna just wants a hug and some attention from Link. One shot fluff.


It was just another day for Link and Midna trying to save the world. Toady's goal was the Sky Temple, a place where the two would find the fourth and final mirror shard. However, Midna was not in the happiest mod today.

You see, Midna had always felt more than a little annoyed from always falling in Link's, well, shadow. Now, she often reminded helself that she was a freak in Link's world, a _twilli_ to be precise. She could only come out when there was something even more fearsome, or else she felt that people would disown the Hero of Time. But her chest still felt pain whenever Illia would congradulate Link, or Link would win some prize from the townsfolk and sit there grinning like a maniac, while she could do nothing but watch mournfully.

"I wish _I_ could get some gratitude once in a while, especially from Link."

She knew that the fact that Link never praised her was also her fault, for she was very shy and had never really known how to show how she felt. Sarcasm and mockery were her refuge, and she felt that they suited her well. Even so, however, she just wanted Link to say that she had done a great job.

As she was pondering this, Link suddenly stopped in his tracks and started scanning the area. Minda figured that he had seen an enemy, so she started to gather her power to fight. However, Link then asked something that made her almost release it all at once.

"Hey, Midna. Can you please come out of my shadow? It's lonely, walking with nobody to talk to, and nobody will see you anyways."

"U-Um... Sure!"

She leaned on Link's shoulder as the two gazed at the temple which they were about to enter. Midna snuck a glance at Link. He was shaking, with huge pupils and his feet kept shifting, as if they were constantly checking to make sure that the ground was still there. She rolled her eyes, for she had known almost as soon as she met him that Link was afraid of heights. She always had to urge him along whenever he was hundreds of feet up, clinging to vines for dear life, moving at a snail's pace. She had to bite back the urge to take his hand.

"Midna, can I ask something of you?"

"Well, that depends... Sure, but make it quick, slowpoke! The temple awaits!"

"Could you please not go into your shadow anymore?"

She sighed: he had embarked onto a touchy subject with her.

"Why not, Link? People would be scared of me, and anyways I'm not even the hero."

"What are you talking about? You're the one who makes sure I'm healthy enough to take on the next 50 tektites and makes sure that I don't have to walk everywhere with your portals! Without you, I'd be still trapped in that dungeon."

"But you have Epona and Illia..."

"Midna, consider this. Suppose that you had never rescued me. Where would I be?"

"I guess... I guess you would be dating Illia, riding Epona with her every day and living a happy life! I haven't done anything for you! I-"

"No. Whenever we talked those first few days, you always said that I owed my life to you, that I was indebted to you. What changed?"

"I was a power-hungry freak! I just wanted the Fused Shadows and didn't care for you! I'm surprised you haven't lumped me in with Zant and tried to kill me too!"

"I could never do that! You saved my skin by getting me out of that dungeon. Do you really believe that after that I could just cut you down!" That I'm some slice-and-dice swordsman, destroying anything without a Triforce on it?!"

"Link, I can't be outside of your shadow. I'd feel even more unwanted than I already am. And I don't want to wreck your relationship with Illia."

"Why do you bringing up Illia? I don't have feelings for her! She was the one trying to stop me from saving the world! _Just forget about it, Link, _I could never do that! I don't want your world to die! Ruled by Zant... I could never have that!

"Link..."

Link was starting to sob now. He wasn't crying yet, but Midna knew that she would have to be careful so as not to make him completely break down.

"Midna, you don't understand. I love you so much I just cannot lose you. I know what you're trying to do with the mirror shards, trying to sever the connection between the two worlds so that I don't have to _associate myself with your kind_. You're going to go to your world and then break the mirror, severing the connection between the two worlds. And I just can't have that."

"Link... How did you know?"

"You kept avoiding me, as if you didn't want us to connect. You always had a tense aura around you whenever I became a wolf, and preferred retreating to your shadow. And when we reached the Mirror of Twilight, you seemed anxious to leave quickly. I just thought for awhile, and that's what I came up with."

Midna started to say something, but then she realized something horrible. She had always wanted praise from Link, but she had never given him an opportunity! And because she always retreated from him, he thought that she hated him. But when she was being given praise directly on a silver platter, she was rejecting it! Even though she had just heard him confess to her, she was confident that he was just saying these things to make her feel better.

"But what was wrong with that?", she thought, and she got up from Link's shoulder. He wasn't sobbing anymore, but he was still shaking, and was seated on a nearby rock.

"Link, I'm sorry. I just... I didn't want us to be together, even as friends because I felt that it would ruin your image as the Hero of Time, and I like you too much for that, I just want you to live a happy life with-"

"DON'T! STOP MENTIONING ILLIA! HAVEN'T I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT I DON'T CARE FOR HER? What else do I have to do to convince you, Midna?"

"You could... I dunno, congratulate me?"

Link, to Midna's surprise, smiled. It was a smile of sadness and regret, but it was still an uplifting one.

"Midna, I think you're amazing. You always manage to get me through my life with either your motivation, your high vaulting expertise, or whatever else you need to do to get me through that temple. You never let me down, and you save so much time with your teleportation. I don't have any problems with you, Midna."

Midna was starting to tear up. She wanted to tell Link to stop, that she was embarrassed, but the words kept catching in her throat.

"You always have lots of personality, and you never give up. I'm so sorry for ever neglecting you, Midna, and I should have paid more attention to your feelings. I love you Midna, and I don't want you to be in my shadow ever again."

This was the final straw. Midna started to cry now, tears cascading through the air and to the ground hundreds of miles below. Link walked over to her and hugged her, just let her cry into his tunic until she was done shaking. And even then, her didn't let go, and Midna didn't mind. And as the two stood there, gazing at the final temple that they would have to endure, Midna realized that Link wasn't scared of the height anymore. She smiled, and as the two walked hand in hand to the temple together, she could only think...

"He said I did a good job! He congratulated me! He loves me! He..."


End file.
